Infrared Electrochromic Property of the Colorful Tungsten Oxide Films

doi:10.15541/jim20200463

Abstract

Abstract:

Electrochromic materials are capable in a dynamically modulation over their absorption, transmission, reflection and emissivity covering the visible and infrared regions, which is recognized as one of the most effective strategies for an artificial control over the optical spectrum. In practical devices, the modulations for color (visible light) and heat (near-infrared irradiation) are both in demand, and thus it is of significant importance to achieve the dual-band control within single electrochromic device. However, the present design of electrochromic materials mainly focuses on the adjustment ability of visible spectrum or color transformation, while leaving the modulation of infrared spectra often negligible. In this study, a multi-color tungsten oxide film with F-P cavity structure is selected to explore the wide-spectrum electrochromism of visible and infrared spectral regions. The tungsten oxide film material with F-P cavity structure presents diversified and bright colors in the visible region with various color patterns, and diversified color alternation can be realized under applied biases. At the same time, the infrared reflectance of colorful tungsten oxide films can also be modulated significantly, for example, infrared modulation rates higher than 25.00% can be obtained in the middle wavelength (around 3.5 μm) in the colored films. The research shows that the multi-color tungsten oxide film can realize the discrete and controllable adjustment of the visible and infrared spectral region in the wide spectrum, and has great potential in the application of smart window, thermal management, radiative cooling and other fields, which can even achieve the in-demand cooperative modulation of light and heat performance.

Key words: colorful tungsten oxide film, electrochromism, infrared modulation

CLC Number:

TQ174

WU Qi, CONG Shan, ZHAO Zhigang. Infrared Electrochromic Property of the Colorful Tungsten Oxide Films[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2021, 36(5): 485-491.

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1 Schematic illustration of the colorful film (a), cross- sectional SEM image (b), optical images of the electrochromic electrodes with different colors and the patterned samples (c), and reflectance spectra of electrode films with seven colors (d)

Fig. 2 Optical images of electrochromic films at different applied potentials (a), variation of reflectance spectra of yellow, purple and green films at different applied potential (b-d)

Fig. 3 Reflectance spectra of the tungsten oxide film in the mid-infrared region (3-13 μm)

Fig. 4 Variation of mid-infrared reflectance spectra of yellow, purple and green films at different applied potentials (a-c), mid-infrared reflectance spectra of green films with different W thicknesses (d) Solid and dotted lines in (d) are the samples before and after coloration, respectively, wherein the applied voltage is fixed at -0.6 V

Table 1 Reflectance modulation of films in MW and LW

Color	Band	ΔR
Yellow	MW	25.61%
Yellow	LW	6.67%
Violet	MW	33.68%
Violet	LW	8.91%
Green	MW	46.00%
Green	LW	15.39%

Fig. 5 Infrared thermal imaging of tungsten oxide films of different colors (a), infrared thermal imaging photos of green films with different negative potentials (b), optical images (c) and their corresponding reflectance curve changes (d)

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